Learning to Learn A Co-Construction Experiment Part 3

I have been absolutely buzzing this week! My year 9s and my year 11s have been the most engaged that I have seen them all year. They are good kids who will do the work under 'normal' circumstances, but to see them engaged because they want to be... that has lit my fire and given me even more drive to get kids co-constructing their learning modules.

Haha - learning modules - I say that like I'm not an English teacher in an English faculty!!

Just because I am an English teacher in an English faculty doesn't mean I can't co-construct cross-curricular units though - so I have discovered. I've always been really big on cross-curricular learning. I can do lots on my own - I'm trained as an English, Classics, Art History and Social Sciences teacher. I do talk to the teachers from other faculties who also teach my year 9 class - and work out what I can do to work with them.

I love it, it's fun. Like so many of my kids said today - they learn more when it's fun. I work better when I'm having fun (probably why my marking is so often at the bottom of my to do list!!). Keep changing things up, keep learning new things, keep it interesting, and I'm engaged. Why should I expect any less of my kids? Or for my kids. They are but people after all. Smaller (some of them!), younger people; but people. They know they want and what works for them. Why not give it to them with a little bit of stretching on the side? You know, the kind where we recognise that yes, young Johnny, you are an amazing visual learner. Shall we add some kinaesthetic learning to that mix too? And so on and so forth as we expose their young selves to the wonderful world that is around us.

The experiment has ended really well. And no, not everyone achieved 'excellence' on their presentations, but every single one of the kids increased their knowledge base and skill bank.

At the beginning of the unit every child participating wrote me a 15-minute essay on what they thought Learning to Learn is. And today, their presentations show me that they know more. Lots more. As they've worked on this project, they have identified purposes and audiences, ideas, language features, and structure. They haven't interpreted everything they've read perfectly, but they've given it a really good go. I couldn't be prouder of these kids.

Students, I would really love if you would contribute your experiences of this unit at the bottom of this blog. This unit wasn't just about me learning, it was about you learning. I would love if you would share with my Professional Learning Network what you enjoyed about the unit, and what you didn't. What worked, and why; what didn't work for you and why. Reflect on the journey that you had - what did you get out of this project. Leave a comment at the bottom of this blog knowing you are reaching a network of educators who are interested in what you have to share so that they can be informed and use your experiences to change their practise and the learning experiences for the students in their classes.

This isn't just my story - it's yours.